2014 ASHS Annual Conference

An experiment was designed to evaluate flurprimidol and paclobutrazol on the growth and development of canna lily liners. Canna lily (Canna x generalis) ‘Ermine’ liners were transplanted into 11.4L containers and treatments applied March 1, 2012 when plants averaged 29 cm in height (3 to 4 well developed leaves). The 16 treatments were an untreated control, floral sprays of flurprimidol and paclobutrazol at rates of 25, 50 and 100µg·g^-1, soil drenches of flurprimidol and paclobutrazol at rates of 1, 2 and 4µg·g^-1 and granular flurprimidol at rates of 1, 2 and 4µg·g^-1. Foliar sprays were applied with a spray bottle at a volume of 3.8L per 18.6m² (spray-to-drip) and soil drenches at 740mL per container. Each treatment consisted of 8 replicates. Initial results from this study indicate that flurprimidol treatments applied as a soil drench and granular at the 2 and 4µg·g^-1 rates significantly reduced plant height >50% from the control. Soil drenches of paclobutrazol and foliar sprays of flurprimidol reduced plant height 19% and 17%, respectively. The foliar sprays of paclobutrazol did not significantly reduce plant height 3.5%. Scape length was significantly reduced for the soil drench and granular flurprimidol treatments at the 4µg·g^-1 rate. Days to flowering was not significantly different with flowering occurring between 42 to 47 days for all treatments.